However, those prospective computer buyers absolutely unwilling to embrace Vista do still have a few ‘last gasp’ options open to them when it comes to legally taking receipt of Microsoft’s seven-year-old operating system.

One solution for business customers is to purchase either the Ultimate or Business versions of Windows Vista, both of which allow the user to perform a software downgrade that reverts back to XP Professional; while another ‘out’ is to purchase a computer from the ultra low-cost sub-notebook hardware category (think the ASUS Eee PC), to which Microsoft has granted XP an initial two-year availability reprieve.

The old operating system will also be made available through January 31 of 2009 via small custom computer system builders.

About Me

I started in computing selling the TRS-80 many years ago in the early 80's and got hooked when I bought my own Coco (Color Computer). I've had a computer ever since.
I write short SF stories and Linux/OpenSource articles. I'm on Twitter as: http://twitter.com/ErnieMLopez/